Stack-cover.



.0. R. WRIGHT.

STAGK COVER.

APPLICATION FILED 11111.17, 1914.

Patented My 5, 1914.

@noauto/r,

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co..wAsmNaTDN. D. c.

CLARENCE R. WRIGHT, OF TECUMSEH, NEBRASM. i

STACK-cover..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Maya, mit.

Application filed January 17, 1914. Serial No. 812,758.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, CLARENCE R. TWiner-rr, citizen of the United States, residing at Tecumseh, in the county of Johnson and State of Nebraska= have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stack-Covers, of

Vwhich the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying draw` ings.

rllhis invention relates to an improved stack cover for covering and protecting stacks of hay from the deleterious elfects of the elements. l

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a device of this character which is simple and inexpensive in its construction, may be assembled with extreme facility by one person, and is highly durable and serviceable in practical use.

Broadly stated, the invention embodies in its construction a crown link and a plurality of additional links removably concatenated with said crown link, and means for connecting the links and retaining a plurality of overlapping cover boards in superposed relation thereupon.

In its more specific aspect, the invention provides a plurality of links of identical construction, each lfashioned from a single length of spring wire having parallel portions provided with eyes and an intermediate angularly disposed portion, the extremities of the wire link being also angularly disposed and terminating in hooks, the angularly disposed end and intermediate portions of the link being designed for engagement with the ends of a cover board, and a pair of crown links adapted for arrangement at the apex of the stack, the extremities of the latter link wires however, terminating in hooks and eyes respectively for interlocking connection.

The invention further provides novel, durable and eiiicient mea-ns whereby a series of cover boards in any ldesired number and various lengths may be expeditiously arranged in such position over the hay stack that-they will entirely cover the same and provide an effective water-proof cap or housing therefor.

With the above and other objects in view as will become apparent as the description proceeds, the invention consists in certain constructions, combinations and arrange.

ments of the parts that I shall hereinafter fully describe and claim. I

F or a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be 'had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in whicl Figure 1 is a perspective View of my invention in its preferred embodiment showing the same applied to a hay stack. Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevation of the device. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the crown links connected together; Fig. 4: is an end elevation of one of the links.

Referring in detail to the drawings, 5 and 6 designate the two crown links while the numeral 7 designates the additional links which are removably concatenated with said crown links as clearly shown in F ig. 2 of the drawings. Each of these links is constructed .from a single length of spring wire of the requisite gage and temper.

Referring now more particularly to the side links 7, it will be noted that they each include the parallel wire arms 8. The central portion of the length of spring wire is bent at right angles to said arms to produce therein a substantially standing loop 9. Adjacent to this loop, each of the arms 8 is formed with an eye 10. The arms 8 terminate at the ends of the wire in the angularly bent portions 11, each of said portions having a transversely disposed hook 12 formed upon its eX- tremity.

The crown links 5 and 6 dier in construction from the links 7 only in the formation of the ends of the wire. It will be noted from reference to Fig. 3, that the ends of the wire link 5 terminate in the eyes 13, and in these eyes the transversely disposed outwardly extending terminal hooks 14 on the ends of the wire link 6 are adapted to be engaged. l

In assembling the severalA link members, the central or crown links 5 and 6 are first connected by inserting' the hooks 14 of the links 6 through the eyes 13 on the link 5, it being understood that .the resiliency of the arms 8 of the spring metal wire normally tend to maintain the hooks V141 in spaced or separated relation to each other. After the links 5 and 6 have thus been connected, the hooks 12 of onev of the links 7 are engaged in the eyes l0 of one of the crown links, the arms 8 of the links 7 being U shaped upcompressed or forced toward each other so that the hooks are disposed through said eyes from the inner sides thereof. The other links 7 are connected to each other in a similar manner. After the links have thus been assembled, the cover boards l5 are placed in position. These boards are substantially equivalent in width to the length of the links 7. It will be noted that the crown link is shorter than the other crown link 6 and the links 7. is the links 7 are connected to each other and to the link 6 inwardly of the ends of the links, it will be apparent that the longitudinal edges `of the several boards will overlap. The link being shorter than the link (3 will cause the board arranged upon the link 5 to overlap upon the longitudinal edge of the board upon the link 6.

rlhe upstanding U shaped loops 9 of the several links have resilient bearing engagement against one, edge of the respective boards, While the angularly disposed ends 11 of the links 'l' extend upwardly contiguous to the opposite longitudinal edges of the boards arranged upon said latter links. Thus relative shifting movement of these boards transversely of the hay stack is rendered impossible. 1n order to prevent such relative movement of the central boards l5 which are arranged upon the crown links 5 and G, 1 provide a rope or Wire 1G Which is adapted to be extended over said boards and through the several loops 9 Which project above the upper surfaces of the boards. The ends of this Wire may be connected to suitable stakes driven into the ground, or the same may be Weighted or otherwise anchored. lt Will be understood that in the practical use of the invention, a series of wire links connected in the manner above described is arranged at points adjacent the opposite ends of the series of cover boards, said boards being obtained in stock lengths of twelve feet. lhen the boa-rds are not in use as a stack cover, they may be employed for various other purposes as the applica tion of my invention thereto in no Wise injures the same.

, From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, manner of use and several advantages of my invention Will be clearly and fully understood. Only one person is required to properly apply the invention in actual use, as by rst connecting all of the link members and arranging them in position over, the stack, the seve 'al boards may then ,be singly and successively lifted and placed in position upon the links. The links arealmost entirely covered by the boards so that they are protected as Well as the hay against the deteriorating effects of the elements, the spring Wire of which the links are Aformedretaining its resiliencyfor an extended period of time. The binding Wires or cables 16 effectually prevent any lifting of the boards from the stack by heavy wind gusts entering beneath the same, While the link members themselves prevent transverse or longitudinal shifting movement of said boards. lt Will be understood that the upstanding loops S) resiliently press against the outer longitudinal edges of the boards l5, thereby holding the boards firmly in po sition. When the device is not in use, the several links may be disconnected and compactly arranged and stored away in a small space.

My invention is capable of mamifacture at very small cost due to its extremely simple construction and it Will also be appreciated that the same is extremely durable as Well as highly efficient and serviceable in practical use.

ll'lhile l have shown and described the preferred construction and arrangement of the several parts of my invention, it Will be understood that the same is susceptible of considerable modiiication therein and I therefore reserve the right to resort to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied Within the spirit and scope of the invention, as claimed.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

l. A. device of the class described, comprising a pair of crown links, one of Which is shorter than the other, said links being provided With hooks and eyes respectively for detachable engagement and each having an angularly disposed portion, additional links removably connected to each other and to the croivn links and also provided with angularly disposed port-ions, cover boards arranged upon each of said links andhaving their opposed longitudinal edges overlapped, and additional removable means extending over the cover boards and connecting the angularly disposed portions of the several links.

2. A device of the class described com pri-sing a pair of croivn links and additional links, each of said links being formed from a single length of resilient Wire bent upon itself, to provide parallel spring arms, the intermediate portion of the Wire being angularly disposed to form a. loop thereon, cach of said spring arms having van eye formed therein intermediate of its ends, the extremities of the arms of said crovvn links terminating in hooks and eyes respectively for detachable engagement, hooks formed on the ends of the arms of said additional links for engagement in the eyes on said resilient arms, and a plurality of cover boards arranged upon said links and having their longitudinal edges lapped upon` each other,.the loops of said link members having resilient bearingengagement against one edge of the respective boards.

ioo

3. A device of the class described comprising a pair of crown links, one of which is shorter than the other, and a series of additional links, each of said links being constructed from a single length of resilient wire having parallel portions constituting spring arms, the intermediate portion of the Wire being' angularly bent and formed into a loop, said spring arms being provided intermediate of their ends with eyes, the eX- tremities of the arms of the crown links terminating in hooks and eyes respectively for detachable engagement with each other, the ends of the arms of said additional links being angularly bent and terminating in hooks for engagement in the eyes on said spring` arms, cover boards adapted for arrangement upon said links, said U shaped loops having resilient bearing engagement against one of the longitudinal edges of the respective boards and projecting above the upper surface thereof, the opposed longitudinal edges of the adjacent boards being overlapped, and a retaining wire extending over said boards and through the upwardly projecting' loops of the several link members.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aiix my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

CLARENCE R. VRIGHT.

Witnesses:

JAY C. MOORE, FRANK L. BRUNDAGE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C. 

